Bill Homewood's resonant bass is a fine match for Jules Verne's 1875 sprawling sequel to his landmark work TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1870). It's the end of the Civil War, and a small, intrepid band of Union soldiers takes off in a hot-air balloon to avoid capture by the Confederates. A terrifying storm whisks them 6,000 miles away to an uninhabited, uncharted island somewhere in the South Pacific. One of Verne's trademarks is his meticulous and detailed research, and Homewood keeps the narrative focused and steady as the crew, calling themselves "colonists," harness fire, fashion tools, and plant crops. When pirates appear, a mysterious presence provides timely help. Homewood provides a classic voice for a classic nineteenth-century fantasy-adventure.
Pub Date: March 26, 2023
Duration: 19 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781781984352
Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Part of the joy of Tom Clancy novels is one's belief that the stories could come true. His latest entry stretches that some as we find international terrorists building a nuclear bomb which is used to set Americans and Russians against one another. Jay Robertson reads with a newscaster's voice, crisp and clear with a light touch of drama. However, he does little to help listeners identify Clancy's huge cast of characters, and dialects seem difficult for him as he occasionally slips in and out of character. Nonetheless, patient listeners are rewarded as the plot unfolds. This will be a welcome addition to any library justifying the price of the multi-cassettte volumes.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 16 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
John Sanford is back with another psychological thriller in his Prey series. Surgeon, psychopath and serial killer Bekker is on the loose again after the easiest jailbreak in recent memory. Ken Howard's reading moves along with all the brooding energy a reader could want from a suspense book. His narration is deep, clear and well-suited to the gravelly voices of retired detective Lucas Davenport and the other cops. While Howard manages good dialects and shifts in character, his female voices leave a lot to be desired. For the most part, the abridgment gleefully throws logic and characterization overboard in favor of thrills, but the basic flavor of many characters is still fairly well maintained.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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